The baap of flea markets

If you love shopping in the open, and haggling is your forte, then the Sarojini Nagar (SN) market in south Delhi is the place for you to be. To reach here, alight at the INA Metro station. Take an auto or walk down to the market area.

If you love shopping in the open, and haggling is your forte, then the Sarojini Nagar (SN) market in south Delhi is the place for you to be. To reach here, alight at the INA Metro station. Take an auto or walk down to the market area.

Babu MarketTo start with, enter from the Babu market area. This section of the main market is lined up with garment shops. Don’t miss Fashion.Com for its wide range of ladies’ footwear. You can get three pairs for Rs 1,000. Right opposite are kiosks selling home furnishings. They might quote you prices as high as Rs 300 per table cover, but bargain is the mantra here. You can settle the deal for Rs 150.

Central MarketWalk straight from the Babu Market to find the main market on your left. Don’t get puzzled if you see similar looking shops all around. This is the export market. Since summer is almost here, you will find a huge variety of garments. Go for cotton hot pants priced at Rs 200, available in bright colours like yellow, pink and lime green. Don’t miss the oversized shirts which are in vogue these days, priced at about Rs 200. These are available in different sizes and patterns. Kolhapuri and Osho chappals are also a hit here. Priced between Rs 100 to Rs 150, these chappals are available in different colours at almost all footwear shops here.

The market has a lot to offer to boys, too. Try out fake Nike, Puma, Ed Hardy and Adidas tees, priced at Rs 200-300. Fake Converse shoes are also sold here. They would cost you Rs 350, and are available with different prints on the shoelace.

If junk jewellery is your pick, this market has a huge variety to offer. Buy colourful wooden bangles for Rs 100 for 5. They look stylish, but we are not sure of their durability. Also, go for danglers, starting at Rs 20. We spotted a lookalike of silver jhumki style earrings for Rs 45.

Vegetable MarketBehind these shops, which are usually crowded by young boys and girls, is the subzi (vegetable) market. This lane is famous for a huge variety of fruits and vegetables at reasonable prices. Don’t miss the yellow and red capsicum, available with most sellers. The main attraction at this market are the vendors, who get creative with the calls and rhyme them in comic ways.

Eating outIf you are done with your bit of shopping and need some refreshments, the market has many eating joints. At the corner of the vegetable market is Sunder Juice corner. Try the golgappas and the tikki chaat here. Priced at Rs 10 for five, the golgappas are spicy. The shop also sells different varieties of juices. Don’t miss the vegetable juice, which has a hint of mint, priced at Rs 35. Also, try the ‘softy’ at Keventers. Available in three flavours - strawberry, mango and chocolate — and priced at Rs 20, it’s a good bet, though they all taste the same. On the other side of the market is the famous bakery shop, Golden Bakery, and Mohan Restaurant. We spotted a vendor selling different varieties of tamarind (imli) that was fresh and tangy. Try them at Rs 10 for 50gm.

Tips to survive Sarojini Nagar* Avoid the market on weekends* Take the Metro or some other public transport to avoid parking chaos* Beware of pick pockets* Wear comfortable shoes * Bargain, bargain and bargain! Or you will end up buying something for double the price* It may be cheap and may look interesting, but don’t buy everything!